Mick Foley plays a self-taught chef named Moose in The Christmas Heartbeat, and the WWE Hall of Famer says it’s the kind of movie role he has wanted for years.
Parade revealed Foley’s character in an exclusive on Thursday. Moose is the right-hand man to Beverly D’Angelo’s character, a mother who keeps her small-town Tennessee bed-and-breakfast decked out for Christmas all year.
Foley told the outlet the shoot was a great experience and that appearing in a Christmas movie had been on his bucket list for a long time. “When watching, you will literally be seeing a grown man live out a dream,” he said.
The role lines up with Foley’s well-known love of the holiday. He starred in the 2014 documentary I Am Santa Claus and wrote about becoming a professional Santa in his 2017 book, Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend to Santa’s Jolly Elf.
The movie also lands during a new chapter of his wrestling career. Foley announced his WWE exit last December, debuted in AEW as a Double or Nothing Buy In co-host in May, and Tony Khan has since said he’ll be a more regular presence in AEW.
When The Christmas Heartbeat Releases
The Christmas Heartbeat debuts September 29 on Amazon Prime Video, VUDU and Fandango, according to Parade. Vantage Media announced Wednesday that it acquired worldwide distribution rights to the independent feature, which was previously titled The Heart Brake.
Brittany Curran stars as Julia Winters, a New York food critic forced back to her Tennessee hometown after a sudden cardiac arrest. Hunter Sansone, Joey Lawrence, Rachael Thompson and Courtney D’Angelo also appear.
Lance Smith directed the film and co-wrote it with Chuck Fusca, and the pair also served as executive producers. The story was inspired by executive producers Carrie and Gus Romero, drawing on Carrie Romero’s experience surviving sudden cardiac arrest.
Smith thanked Vantage for taking on the project, comparing an independent film’s search for distribution to “looking for an exit door in a dark room.”
Sonya Deville Was Announced For The Original Cast
When the film was cast under The Heart Brake title in May 2025, Deadline reported that former WWE star Daria Berenato, known to fans as Sonya Deville, had a supporting role alongside Foley. A later Deadline report placed the shoot in Nashville.
Berenato isn’t named in Vantage’s announcement or in Parade’s cast rundown.
